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Date:         Tue, 29 Apr 2003 12:06:30 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: The King's English
Comments: To: mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Calling mechanics crooks and unethical seems to be the pattern of this rant. The Olds dealer gives me free oil and filter changes for the lifetime that I own the car. Even after 16 years he'll still do the oil changes for free with both the oil and filter, lube job and general look see if they can hang anything else on me. I originally paid $19.95 labor and now the labor minimum is $65.00 , certainly took the sweetness out of a good deal. (they never said Free Labor, just the Oil and Filters) Then there is the but. But when I have my car in for something else, the free actually becomes free once again. They haven't backed off their deal at all, the cost of doing business has just tippled in 15 years. If you can handle the preventive maintenance items yourself you seldom need to confront a professional mechanic because you've learned enough to do most simple repair jobs yourself. Short of rebuilding your engine or transmission most other things can be handled in a two car garage with a minimum of tool requirements. Having purchased VW parts locally and from list vendors I've got to say that the list vendors really bend the willow to give good prices on good parts. So rant if you will but remember, preventive maintenance will limit your list of mechanics you don't call your friends.

Stan Wilder

On Tue, 29 Apr 2003 10:24:25 -0600 Bob Stevens <mtbiker62@HOTMAIL.COM> writes: > "The conclusion (his conclusion), he said:Ben, if my mechanic had > found the > real problem in 15 minutes or half anhour, I would have charge the > customer > 1/2 hour, but the first mechanic lost 3 hours because he failed to > see/find > the real problem at the beginning and change a perfectly working > parts for > nothing. Good mechanic are hard to find, if they are good, they are > expensive! Expensive mechanic cost me too much!" > Cheers, Ben > > My expereince recently: I have the TIICO van which was installed by > the > mechanic doing his first one 2 years ago. He has now done 8. He told > me that > he now believes what's contributing alot to the interior cabin > resonance > noise is the absence of the intake ducting which he will install in > a week. > He recently spent a couple hours making some repairs and adding a > 2nd > battery. I gave him the $15.00 relay I had purchased and that wasn't > needed > (there was already one installed behing/under the drivers seat) and > a > battery that wouldn't fit. He gave me a Bosch that would fit and the > 2 hours > was considered an even swap. No $$$ changed hands. He's like that > and big > enough that when I makes an error he admits it and we move on. I've > been > there enough to establish a relationship and it's paying off in this > case. > He also recently changed the CV boot r/front and charged me 2 hours > instead > of the 3 recommended by the book. I couldn't have done this with my > lack of > tools (vise, etc.) and space. On the other hand, there is another > mechanic > recommended on the Vanagon.com site here in Salt Lake that I would > not take > my roller blades to for dusting off. And that is by my experiences > with him. > He's dishonest and blames others. He also doesn't show up when he > makes > appointments. It's a very individual thing and sometimes expensive > and > painful. So is life sometimes. > > Bob Stevens > '87 Syncro Westy TIICO...with a stainless steel flue vent cover ;>) > > > http://groups.msn.com/BobsPhotoShare > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail > >


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